


And...There She Goes

by jynxwolfe



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Drabble, Emotions, Lies, Pre-Romance, Self-Reflection, Short Story, Skyhold, Spoilers, blackwall's thoughts, first attempt, mostly blackwall/inquisitor, other characters mentioned in passing, post-haven
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-08
Updated: 2015-03-08
Packaged: 2018-03-16 21:30:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,473
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3503432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jynxwolfe/pseuds/jynxwolfe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Blackwall ruminates on Haven and himself a few weeks after the Inquisition settles into Skyhold. A short conversation with the Inquisitor follows at sunrise.</p>
            </blockquote>





	And...There She Goes

**Author's Note:**

> Edit: I tried to fix my over-use of commas and also changed some wordings here and there that I hop improved my writing! (9/3/2015)
> 
> I discovered while playing that (I think) after flirting with Blackwall for the first time, if you quickly cut off the end of a conversation and walk away, Blackwall says, "And...There she goes" and wilddragonflying (on tumblr, go check them out, ah-mazing!!) prompted me to try writing a quick drabble. I've never really written anything like this before, and I'm terrible at dialogue even in real life, so I'm sorry for how bad this is! If you wouldn't mind leaving some comments to tell me how to improve my writing, I would really appreciate it. I hope Blackwall isn't too out of character...

Blackwall preferred to stay in the stables after Haven was destroyed and the Inquisition was settled into Skyhold. At night, when the nightmares and cold sweats kept him awake, the noise of the mounts comforted him as they breathed and slept peacefully. Those strange dracolisks made unnerving noises, but he’d gotten used to it after Trevelyan had captured and tamed them. He had to admit, they were sturdy and reliable mounts, not given to nervousness like the harts, or clumsy meandering like the nuggalopes. Strange creatures.

The nightmare that had woken him tonight was the sight of the mountain collapsing onto the Herald as that bastard, Corypheus, and his damned archdemon flew away unscathed. He hadn’t actually seen the event, but his imagination filled in every grisly detail. After everyone had evacuated through the tunnel that Chancellor Roderick had shown that odd boy and Cullen, the camp was quickly set up and the Inquisition leaders started trying to find Indrani.

He’d already found her presence captivating within moments of arriving at Haven – as she strode across the practice fields beside the Seeker and Commander, inspecting the troops, debated with her advisors over allying with the mages or the templars, cared for the refugees of both, as she fought any who came up against her righteousness. She had welcomed him into the Inquisition’s efforts, without judgement, same as she’d welcomed both the Qunari and Tevinter. Blackwall wasn't sure if he believed in the Maker or Andraste, but he believed in her. With the Breach still in the sky, she was the one who brought them all hope.

The loss of her as they emerged from the relative safety of the tunnel into the cold mountain air felt crushing, the bright flame of her missing making the darkness more threatening. Only the fact that the corrupted templars had been crushed by the mountain with Trevelyan made everyone feel safe enough to set up a camp, tend to wounds and start a supply check to survive the nights for who knew how long. The wind struck up at the same time that the wolves started hunting, the sound of their howls making all those armed clutch their weapons and start up a perimeter watch.

Within moments of the Herald’s return to her people, the air in the camp felt different, better. Warmer, even. Hope, however small it was, had returned to the refugees, even as they mourned those who were still buried beneath Haven, who would not return. Blackwall caught Cullen’s eye as he carried the Herald to the tent with Mother Giselle, and he tried not to let the jealousy of seeing her in the commander’s arms not burn in his throat. There was no reason for it, neither he nor Cullen had a claim to her affections, but Blackwall knew that both of them looked after her in the same way after speaking with her. Cullen had almost smiled, seeing the relief on his face – and the faces of those surrounding him – but then Trevelyan had shifted slightly, her forehead furrowing in…pain? Fear? Before smoothing back into sleep. She looked so cold. Cullen had tightened his grip around her and walked faster to the healer’s tent.

A horse snorted in the stables below, and Blackwall started, taken from his musings back into the real world. Since coming to Skyhold, and being appointed Inquisitor, Trevelyan had seemed…harder, more focused. The attack on Haven had changed the fire within her, less like a warm hearthfire that promised goodness and caring, to a quiet, angry burning within her heart, promising retribution and destruction. He hadn’t gotten a chance to talk to her since then, though he’d gone with her to deal with the lake rift in Crestwood.

They’d stumbled upon a dragon not too far from the dam, and Iron Bull had been so animated talking about battling the beast that he’d gotten Indrani to laugh with delight at his expressions and descriptions. Iron Bull had winked at Blackwall and Sera, since it was the first any of them had heard her laugh or even smile since Haven, before clapping the Inquisitor on the shoulder and nearly knocking her sideways, eliciting a laugh from Sera before she started teasing Bull about his size. _That_ conversation had made Blackwall and Indrani blush.

Blackwall sighed and stretched on the hay bale he’d claimed as his bed. The few birds around Skyhold were doing their best to sing in the mountain air and the sun was making his way into the sky. He hadn’t gotten much sleep, what with musing over what he was doing with Blackwall’s name, and then the nightmare and the brooding that followed.

“Might as well get up,” he muttered.

The mounts below heard him move, and started shuffling around. Master Dennet had gone to visit his family for a few days not too long after getting to Skyhold, to assure them he was still alive and to see that they were well, and Blackwall had taken over the care of the animals since. They’d learned that when he started making noise, they’d all be fed.

He walked down the stairs, smoothing down his hair and beard with a hand, smiling as the horses started nickering at his approach. He’d just gotten the harts new hay and was patting his favorite horse when he heard a chuckle behind him. “They seem to like you quite a bit,” Indrani was smiling at him, hands behind her back, her hazel eyes showing signs of that old fire.

“Any animal will be friendlier if you’re the one feeding them. They’ve come to associate me with their first meal, so there’s that.” He smiled and inclined his head, trying to lessen the gruffness of his tone. Too little sleep always made him sound more prickly than he intended.

Indrani stepped forward to her favored mount, the Desert Lightning dracolisk, whom she had named Vitaar, after the poisonous warpaint that Iron Bull used and had explained to her over drinks one night. The animal rumbled at her and nudged her raised hand, closing its eyes as she scratched around the strange scales on its face. Blackwall winced at first, always wary of the – plentiful and lethal-looking – teeth jutting from the upper and lower jaws. Indrani noticed and smiled.

“Do they make you nervous?”

“Only their teeth, Inquisitor.” _Is no one else nervous about these animals?_ He wondered, watching as she reached into a small bag at her hip and produced a chunk of meat. Vitaar rumbled again and nimbly took it from the Inquisitor’s hand and turned away into her stall to eat it.

“You're up early,” Indrani turned to the Warden, an eyebrow arched questioningly.

“The mounts do need feeding, Inquisitor, and since I sleep closer to the stables than Master Dennet, I might as well be the one to do it.” He shrugged, then started to step away, motioning to the barn. “I need to get oats for the horses.”

Indrani followed. “It's very thoughtful of you, Blackwall. Are all Wardens like you, or do most focus on only killing darkspawn?”

That guilty burning sensation again. “As a recruiter I mostly traveled through towns not threatened by darkspawn, at least when I was in the area. I would help where needed before moving on. I’ve never stayed in one place for so long.” _Nor been quite so loquacious as I am around you, I would imagine_ , his usual self-deprecation returning.

“Hmmm.” Indrani went to the corner that the meat had been put in last night for the other dracolisks and gathered up the tanned ramskin it had been wrapped in. Together, they went back out to the animals, working with occasional murmurs to the animals. Blackwall mulled over his words, wondering if she, or any others, guessed at his false identity. If anyone asked more about the Grey Wardens and he answered wrong and was caught out…He didn’t know what he’d do. Didn't want to imagine how shee - or any of the Inquisition, really - would look at him.  _I don't deserve this trust_ , he thought bitterly, before trying to quell his thoughts and focusing on caring for the mounts.

As they finished and moved back into the barn, Indrani looked up at him, her black hair falling slightly over one eye. Her mouth opened, Blackwall’s eyes darting to her dark lips before back to her eyes.

“Inquisitor!” Solas’ voice called out over the rampart, just barely echoing in the mountains around the hold. Indrani jumped, then grinned at Blackwall.

Handing him the ramskin, she laughed quietly, “I’m sure you have other matters to attend,” before turning away and walking out of the barn, one hand raised up to where Solas undoubtedly stood.

“And….there she goes,” he murmured, turning towards his carving bench after a moment.


End file.
